The soccer federation of Iran announced on Thursday that it will file a complaint with FIFA after its request to travel to Los Angeles two days prior to Sunday’s World Cup match against Belgium was rejected.
In preparation for the tournament, Iran’s base camp was relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. The team expressed concerns about having to travel to matches the day before games and returning immediately afterward, deeming it unfair.
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Team Melli undertook a 127-mile charter flight from Tijuana International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport the day before their opening match, resulting in a five-hour journey due to security and immigration checks, as noted by captain Mehdi Taremi. The team returned to Mexico immediately following their 2-2 draw with New Zealand, which concluded around 8 p.m. Pacific time. They had hoped to minimize travel disruptions by staying an additional day.
Following the match, coach Amir Ghalenoei remarked that his team may be “the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup.”
The federation highlighted the early kickoff time of noon Pacific on Sunday and argued that such restrictions “are inconsistent with the principle of providing equal conditions for all participating teams and may negatively impact teams’ preparation processes.”
“We are the only team participating in the World Cup that arrives at the host cities just 24 hours in advance, which is not equitable,” said Iran soccer secretary-general Hedayat Mombeini via a translator on Friday. “These limitations adversely affect our players’ physical and mental well-being.”
The Iranian team faces specific travel restrictions as mandated by a FIFA task force led by Andrew Giuliani, related to previous circumstances regarding the war. However, these restrictions also coincide with FIFA policies regarding general team travel.
According to FIFA’s 2026 World Cup rules, specifically Article 18.3, each team must travel from their base camp to the venue one day before the match, with allowances only in exceptional cases for travel two days prior (MD‑2), and must return to their base camp after the match (on MD/MD+1).
Despite an interim agreement intended to mitigate the war’s effects, restrictions on the Iranian squad remain unchanged. Some team officials and support staff have struggled to obtain U.S. visas, and player Mehdi Torabi had to secure a new visa at the U.S. consulate in Tijuana following the first match.
Iran’s last group stage game will take place against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.